Asherons Call: A Word to the Wise…Get on the Bus

To err is human; to correct, you must be a developer.
Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.
Hell hath no fury like a K´nath scorned.
Asheron’s Law: If you need to escape from a group of monsters, the dungeon ahead will be restricted to a level higher than yours.

As the year wanes, and I celebrate 26 months in the AC community, I pause to ponder what the future holds. Where is Turbine leading us, and why this route instead of another? The landscape of RPGs is changing and it is difficult to predict what the fan base wants.
[p]
In college, I was introduced to the predecessor of today’s game: MUDs. Though they were text only, it was an adventure like no other. I felt like a pioneer. I played “Sanctuary” for four years. I almost didn’t want to graduate because I didn’t have a home computer yet! Four years later, I was introduced to AC. At first, I was obsessed. I would play 4-6 hours a day during the workweek and twice that on the weekend. I was on my own a lot, but my patron always made sure I had armor and money, and that I was buffed. Oh, the glory of those early times!
[p]
Third party apps were already being developed before the Internet was in full swing. Back in the MUD days there was a program called “Tin-tin+” that was used to run multiple sessions, create macros for faster travel, and assign acronyms to commands (everything had to be typed, so “ff” was much faster than “cast fireball”). Flash forward to present day with all the GUI-based apps and nothing much has changed, except the users.
[p]
Some people think using these helper programs is wrong, that they dilute the fun of the game, and give an unfair advantage to the users. As a long-time tendonitis sufferer (both wrists), I finally caved in about 6 months ago because I wanted to continue enjoying my online experience, and minimize my discomfort. I felt guilty for a while, but eventually they became a regular part of my gaming life. I even got voice-activated software both at work and home. Even so, 6-hour gaming sessions leave me in the dust.
[p]
So, I am on board with whatever the future holds for AC. I have been a loyal constituent, and will continue to grace her servers with my presence for as long as she hangs in there (Long Live the MMORPG!). Why not? It’s only a game.